There’s a wry glint of mischief to William Orbit if you ask about his art. A sense of adventure and the notion that anything is possible. And why not? He’s proved it can be done, time and time again…
Immersed in the worlds of classical, pop and electronic dance music as a writer, composer, producer and performer, his contributions to contemporary music illustrate a great cadence of alchemic studio fusions and what he calls ‘curating serendipity’. A combination of his soulful ear for authenticity, scientific eye for schematics, an innovative ability to join consistent dots between disparate worlds in a transient universe and a spirit for breaking rules; William Orbit is a maverick conductor, engineer and artist with an unquenched fascination into both the micro and macro details of anything he’s creating.
Dip into any chapter of his multiple Grammy award winning career for examples of his singular explorations. Take his earliest manoeuvres as Torch Song. An electronic pop trio that were lightyears ahead of their time, they made records in squats in the early 80s that would echo the great house music revolution that would happen in years to come. Take his infamous Guerilla Studios. Running out of various places throughout the 80s (including an old listed building once used by painter Constable), Guerilla Studios are where Orbit – working alongside long-time collaborator Laurie Mayor and in-house producer Rico Conning – honed his production signature working with the likes of The Cocteau Twins, S’Express, Gary Numan, Nitzer Ebb Renegade Soundwave, Jah Wobble and 23 Skidoo to name but a few pioneering electronic acts of the 80s. Each collaboration bolstering his reputation as one of contemporary pop’s most innovative and daring producers…. A role that would continue to build throughout his career to this day, leading to genuinely game-changing and career-flipping records such as Madonna’s ‘Ray Of Light’ and ‘MDNA’, Blur’s ‘13’, Robbie Williams’ ‘Rudebox’, Finley Quaye’s ‘Dice’, Pink’s ‘Feel Good Time’ and All Saints’ ‘Testament’. Other premiership artists who’ve enjoyed the thoughtful studio touch of Orbit include U2, Britney Spears, Beth Orton and even a posthumous collaboration between Queen and Michael Jackson.
William’s production work is only one aspect to a life spent entrenched in the forefront of the electronic landscape, pushing the music and culture further and further beyond its perceived dancefloor boundaries. As one of the most influential forefathers of the essential post-rave and back-to-mine soundtrack, his ambient, downbeat ‘Strange Cargo’ album series was intrinsically rooted and referenced in the 90s ambient, chill-out and Balearic movements. The soothing yin to clubland’s raging yang… Taking similar inspirations and ideologies as Eno did a generation before him, each record made purposeful sense of the centuries of music we’ve come from and the universe of technology and ideas that began opening up throughout the 80s to this day. It’s these records that set the backdrop to one of William’s most ground-breaking fusions of all; classical and electronic.
Originally released in 1995, William’s seminal ‘Pieces In A Modern Style’ album took the oldest traditions in western music and transposed them in the most modern and futuristic way. Never before done on such an ambitious scale, the result was so radical it would take major label Warner five years to pick up on it and turn his covers of the likes of Ravel, Beethoven, Barber, Vivaldi into modern hits that would unite worlds as disparate as trance and romantic period classical. Reaching number two in the UK national album charts, it led to a sophomore ‘Pieces’ album 10 years later in 2010 and a litany of incredible collaborations including the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and a performance in the Queen Elizabeth Hall where he incorporated power tools and axle grinders into the ensemble. Thanks to William’s on-going work with Madonna, he’s also collaborated with members of the New York Metropolitan Orchestra and orchestral performances on household US TV shows such as Oprah Winfrey. William’s fusions between music’s oldest and youngest of galaxies continue to this day. The only artist of our time who is just at home being interviewed on Classic FM as he is by Mixmag, Orbit’s work helped to dig the foundations of which contemporary composers such as Nils Frahm and Jon Hopkins build on today. His work in this field remains matchless… And was created with no formal training in musical theory whatsoever.
And still we’re only scratching the surface. Many other meaningful moments of innovation and adventure can be found in William’s life’s work so far. They range from him commissioning the first ever post-Khmer Rouge Cambodian Royal Ballet to him DJing in places from Siberia to Buckingham Palace by way of his label Guerilla Records. Born of the studio he ran throughout the 80s, Guerilla was responsible for hits from the likes of Leftfield, Underworld, Felix Da Housecat, DJ Pierre and William’s Bassomatic alter-ego. An integral vehicle in the development of progressive house and the most cosmic side of club music, the label ran parallel with many of Orbit’s biggest hits as a producer, creating a balance of contrasts and meeting of worlds that William has always thrived off and taken inspiration from….
One moment he could be performing an intimate show in the Roxy with just Madonna and his trusty guitar, the next he could be DJing in an underground club or participating as a lecturer in any high level international arts and culture festival. He could be creating or hosting arts programs for the BBC World Service, developing steampunk drum robots such as his and Rico Conning’s Gogobot or simply painting. A new discipline he’s explored in recent years, Orbit’s creations often articulate a similar methodology he’s approached his music with; a vivid fusion of analogue and digital, ideas both old and new, and a sharp eye for the ergonomic and mechanical. Once again, they reflect that sense of adventure that’s characterised William’s career, galvanised his artistry in all its capacities and created a unique vantage point in electronic music that’s rooted in the flux of multiple musical traditions and artforms. It’s a flux that he continues to create his own universes in with his latest endeavour ‘WFO’.
Written during his 40th year as a professional artist, much of which under dark shadows both personally and pandemically, ‘WFO’ takes cues and inspiration from everything William has achieved so far. His multiple disciplines as a composer, writer, producer and performer. His ability to bring the best out of artists, his inability to accept the standard formula, his resonance, influence and providence across so many musical worlds… And refusal to stop of experimenting. An ambitious body of work from an adventurous auteur, ‘WFO’ will once again prove that anything is possible.
